If it is wished to manufacture a member having a varying section, for example, a rod which is tapered at its ends, this may be machined from a solid piece of material. However, a number of operations may be required and it may prove difficult to obtain sufficient accuracy, especially where more complex shapes are required. Also, where the start material is in a powdered or granulate form, an additional manufacturing step is required to compress the material into a block prior to machining.
One technique which has previously been used to produce a shaped solid member from material in a powdered form involves filling of a flexible container with the material and subjecting it to isostatic pressure. However, such a technique requires relatively expensive equipment to carry it out and does not lend itself to large scale production.